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THE ENCOURAGEMENT INDEX How frequently do you typically engage in each behavior? Write the number (1 through 10) from the scale below that best describes your response to each statement on the blank line in front of the statement.1 = Almost Never6 = Fairly Often2 = Rarely7 = Often3 = Seldom8 = Usually4 = Once in a While9 = Very Often5 = Sometimes 10 = Almost Always1._____ I make certain we set a standard that motivates us to do better in the future than we are doing now.2._____ I express high expectations about what people are capable of accomplishing.3._____ I pay more attention to the positive things people do than to the negative.4._____ I personally acknowledge people for their contributions.5._____ I tell stories about the special achievements of the members of the team.6._____ I make sure that our group celebrates accomplishments together.7._____ I become personally involved when we recognize the achievements of others.8._____ I clearly communicate my personal values and professional standards to everyone on the team.9._____ I let people know I have confidence in their abilities.10. _____ I spend a good deal of time listening to the needs and interests of other people.11._____ I personalize the recognition l give to another person.12. _____ I find opportunities to let people know the "why" behind whatever we are doing.13. _____ I hold special events to celebrate our successes.14. _____ I show others, by my own example, how people should be recognized and rewarded.15. _____ I make it a point to give people feedback on how they are performing against our agreed-on standards.16. _____ I express a positive and optimistic outlook, even when times are tough.17. _____ I get to know, at a personal level, the people with whom I work.18. _____ I find creative ways to make my recognition of others unique and special.19. _____ I recognize people more in public than in private for their exemplary performance.20. _____ I find ways to make the workplace enjoyable and fun.21. _____ I personally congratulate people for a job well done.SCORING THE ENCOURAGEMENT INDEXInstructions1.Transfer the ratings for the statements to the blanks provided in the Response Tally on the next page. Notice that the numbers of the statements are arrayed vertically (e.g., from 1 to 7 in the first column, 8 to 14 in column 2, and 15 to 21 in column 3).2.Add the three ratings in each of the seven rows. For example, add the ratings for items 1, 8, and 15. For each row, your total score could range from 3 (if you gave yourself a 1 for each item in that row) to 30 (if you gave yourself a 10 for each item in that row).You will now have a score for each of the seven rows. These rows represent the seven essentials of Encouraging the Heart.3.On the Response Tally, label each of the rows as follows:The Row That StartsContains the Itemswith the Numberfor the Essential______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1Set Clear Standards 2Expect the Best 3Pay Attention 4Personalize Recognition5Tell the Story6Celebrate Together7Set the ExampleFor example, label the row starting with item 1 as "Set Clear Standards." That's because 1, 8, and 15 are items that measure "Set Clear Standards." Label the row starting with item 2 as "Expect the Best." That's because 2, 9, and 16 are items that measure "Expect the Best." And so on.4.Now, add your scores in the Totals column and write the result in the space labeled Grand Total. The lowest possible total you can have is 21, and the highest is 210.THE ENCOURAGEMENT INDEX RESPONSE1._____+8._____+15._____=__________2._____+9._____+16._____=__________3._____+10._____+17._____=__________4._____+11._____+18._____=__________5._____+12._____+19._____=__________6._____+13._____+20._____=__________7._____+14._____+21._____=__________Grand Total__________INSIGHT ON YOUR SCORESGrand Total Once you've finished the scoring, assess yourself according to the following explanations of your score. From 186 to 210. You're Doing Great! You're probably seeing a lot of your associates producing at high levels. Morale is high. People like working with you because you keep the work environment upbeat and positive, perhaps even inspiring. They feel appreciated and are feeling good about the contributions they are making.Encouraging the Heart appears to be a highly developed part of your leadership repertoire. Your presence alone is an asset. If you're not already doing it, look around for someone who could use your mentoring abilities to be as effective as you are at encouraging others. Also, if people aren't already taking the initiative to recognize and celebrate on their own, use your skills to provide structures and tools so they don't have to wait for you to get the ball rolling. Let them know it would be great if they, too, would encourage and celebrate others' achievements. Finally, be on the lookout for new ways to Encourage the Heart so your efforts don't become too repetitive, predictable, or boring. From 126 to 185. You're Doing Pretty Darn WellAlthough most of your associates are producing, you may have the feeling that they could be giving more. You know there might be some grumbling, but people are generally happy working with you. You may have the haunting feeling from time to time that there is something more you could be doing to motivate and encourage people, but you don't know exactly what it is. You clearly recognize that Encouraging the Heart is important, yet you may feel reluctant to commit completely to this practice daily. To take the next step, ask yourself what's holding you back from encouraging more. For example, some people put limits on how much they encourage others because they feel that leaders need to keep a certain emotional distance from others. You will discover as you proceed, though, that you can keep a certain distance even as you are acknowledging individuals and celebrating your team's accomplishments.Perhaps you're just not the cheerleader type, and you're turned off by the idea of making too much of what people are getting paid to do; you feel that they shouldn't be expecting any special treatment. Even if there is some truth in this, the fact remains that we are social animals and most of us respond well when we're acknowledged for our efforts. Whatever the reason for your holding back, take an honest look at yourself and weigh the reason against what you can gain by Encouraging the Heart. You might just find that your uneasiness about this process fades away as you experience greater success and ease with this aspect of leadership. From 66 to 125. Time to Get to Work People are probably not working to their highest levels, and there's a part of you that is well aware of this fact. You might even have the feeling that the only time everyone is working up to capacity is when they think you're watching them. Not to worry, though; you'll find plenty of tips in The Encouraging the Heart Workshop and the Participant Workbook (and in our book by the same name) to put into practice, and then you're well on your way to becoming adept at Encouraging the Hearts of others. You may feel there is value in Encouraging the Heart, but you're missing opportunities to put the practice into motion. Start paying attention to the achievements of the people around you that you feel are deserving of acknowledgment or celebrating: a person going the extra mile to complete a project on time, a team within your organization completing a challenging task, or a person just doing something thoughtful that makes your job easier. Your recognition can run the gamut from a simple thank you to an elaborate celebration. If you feel reluctant to do any of this, see whether you can identify what's holding you back. Lighten up! Think about things you can do to make your workplace more fun and inspiring for you, too, we might add. Even a laugh or two can enhance productivity and worker satisfaction. From 21 to 65. Time for a Change Our guess is that your score isn't this low. lf it is, we hope you'll get busy putting the ideas from the Encouraging the Heart book, workshop, or workbook into practice immediately. If your score is truly in this range, it's a pretty good bet that there's a fair amount of discontent in the ranks or that you're really tough on yourself. The good news is that you are in a position to make immense changes that not only increase productivity but make your job a heck of a lot easier. We know from our research that most people produce more in an environment in which they receive positive feedback and that productivity diminishes when there is little, or no, feedback or people only hear from leaders when something is wrong. Because it's your job as a leader to make sure people are earning their keep, you are probably not earning yours unless you are Encouraging the Heart. Make a commitment today to find something in your workplace to celebrate. Say thank you to someone who enables you to be a little more effective-and tell him or her so! Perhaps you don't appreciate how important Encouraging the Heart is for maintaining the vitality of your team. Or maybe you're just overlooking opportunities to celebrate and give recognition. See whether there is someone else in your organization you can team up with to help encourage others. Find a couple of role models at work, or someone you know from your outside activities; commit to spending some time with them to learn what they do in their roles to Encourage the Heart. True leadership has its own intrinsic rewards; they come as you learn to work with others not through intimidation and control but through cooperation and recognition. PAUSE AND REFLECTThe totals for each row tell you which of the seven essentials you are already adept at and which you might work on to develop your skill in Encouraging the Heart. They even give you a broad idea of ways to improve. ................
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